Love and Legalities
by meganedanshi
Summary: Attorney Fujioka Haruhi has been assigned a possibly very high profile case. It wasn't easy especially if her client was the devilishly handsome and mischievous business magnate, Hikaru Hitaachin. Can she finish this case with her sanity and heart still intact or will her infuriatingly good-looking client be capable of breaking down her iron-clad self-control? AU. HikaHaru.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary** : Atty. Fujioka Haruhi has been assigned a possibly very high profile case. It wasn't easy especially if her client was the devilishly handsome and mischievous business magnate, Hikaru Hitaachin. Can she finish this case with her sanity and heart still intact or will her infuriatingly good-looking client be capable of breaking down her iron-clad self-control? AU.

 **A/N** : I had to re-upload this story because some glitch decided to not show it as part of the recently published stories. Anyway, big thanks to my friend, A.P.P., who is a Dan/Phil shipper, VIP and lawyer in the making, for helping me with the terms and legal process included in this fanfic.

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 **Love and Legalities**

Chapter 1

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"Fujioka Haruhi. Kind. Intelligent. Patient. Hardworking. Loyal. Has a spectacular transcript of records, graduated from the prestigious Lobelia Girl's Academy as their only scholar, and most importantly, not one losing streak in your exemplary career as a lawyer."

Haruhi exercised extreme self-control to stop her face from twitching as her boss, Ootori Kyouya, continued to enumerate her attributes and achievements. She had worked for him for three years now and from all her experience as one of the top performing lawyers in his firm, she knew that he did not compliment his employees without a catch. She was waiting for him to get to the point although her gut has been telling her it would be quite a task if he was sprouting off face value flattery to butter her up before the kill.

"Do you know why I summoned you here?" he asked after placing down the folder where her name was printed neatly across the front. He pushed up his glasses and continued staring at her, patiently waiting for her response.

She had the urge to roll her eyes at her employer for his choice of words. _Summon? Really?_ She had wanted to retort but immediately held her tongue to avoid sounding rude. She took the most obvious route and took a deep breath before replying.

"You have a case for me," she deadpanned trying to sound as flat as possible. Only God knew what kind of twists he had in mind if she had even an ounce of hesitation and uncertainty in her voice. She didn't dislike her boss, not at all. If someone were to ask her opinion about him, she would say that she admired his work ethic. He was a great boss, mentor and lawyer. He can be frighteningly blunt and cunning but he was always fair. He wasn't blinded by her credentials when she first applied and worked her so hard she was strictly running on a tight schedule by the minute. Without his constant expectations and even reprimands, she doubted she would be as great as a lawyer as she is today.

The slight nod he gave her was expected. He gestured for her to sit down and she complied not trusting her black peep toe pumps to hold her balance for this meeting. Haruhi placed her hands on her lap and gently smoothed out the wrinkles on her white tapered pants. Her pristine look was finished off with a cream colored Oxford shirt and a pair of pearl earrings. She adjusted her position on the double stitched leather seat before giving him her full attention.

"I have a friend who is in dire need of a lawyer to help solve his problem. The more intimate details of which will be provided to your office by my secretary once you accept," he handed her a folder which she immediately began to scan.

"It's going to be a high profile case if word goes out to public and we want to avoid that as much as possible. I would have taken the case up myself but my tray is quite full and I believe with your capabilities, a trial would not be needed," he remarked not waiting for a response from her.

Kyouya gave her a few minutes to browse over the case and quietly observed his employee. Haruhi has been a great addition to his law firm. Despite working for him for only three years, she had already earned the title of junior partner which was a huge achievement in this line of work. No one dared to question her promotion because they could see just how great of a lawyer she was. She wasn't as cunning and manipulative as he hoped her to be but it didn't deter her from winning cases. She had that pull to her that when words poured out of her little mouth, people would have no trouble believing them. Her clients trusted her wholeheartedly and her enemies unwillingly respected and feared her.

Haruhi pondered over his choice of words. The client was his friend. She knew that he had business partners, persons of interests and family acquaintances who needed their legal services but it was the first time he referred to someone as a friend. This person had to be on very good terms with her boss to warrant that kind of title. The case was going to be quite a hushed event if he had intimidated that the public must not be aware of it. She was already feeling the pressure upon learning that he wanted this case to be settled between the parties and not let it reach the courtroom. Her eyes scanned the written information in her hands.

The plaintiffs were five employees of Hitachiin Fashion Co. while the defendant was the CEO and owner himself, Hikaru Hitachiin. There was an accident at one of the company's factories that happened two weeks ago which caused major and minor injuries to said employees. Haruhi's brows furrowed upon seeing the medical reports. She had enough experience to deal with fraudulent medical records and right now she was sure that what she had just read were all true. If that was the case, she had a very serious question burning at the tip of her tongue. Her gaze flicked towards her bespectacled superior.

Kyouya noted the steely gaze she had bestowed upon him. If it were another person, he would have scoffed and felt offended for the rude gesture but since it was Haruhi, he merely raised a brow to challenge her openly. If she had something to say, she must have the courage to do so herself without any prompt from him.

"What is your opinion on the case, Ootori-san?"

He wanted to smirk at the emphasis on formality. Trust her to ruffle his feathers with a single word. He had lightly teased her before by telling her to call him by his first name to which she consistently refused not wanting people to misjudge her character and work ethics. He dropped the whole ordeal at that time, highly amused by her reaction.

"Well, Fujioka-san, what do you think my opinion would be?" he retorted. He had a habit of answering questions with one of his own to encourage his lawyers to embody critical thinking. This time she had openly frowned at his answer but still decided to humor him and thought hard about it.

"You believe he's innocent," she concluded.

"Everyone is innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt," his eyes twinkled in amusement but his smirk was all she needed to see to know that her line of thinking was correct.

He knew that if he believed his client was anything but innocent he would not have picked up this case, friend or not. He must believe that there was a legal basis or evidence with which she could work on to turn the case into their favor. He would have just referred this case to other firms if it was the other way around.

She was relieved that she did not have to represent a selfish, rich bastard and trample on the laborers' sweat, blood and pride. When she started her career as a lawyer, she had trouble in representing clients who were guilty of civil offenses. She had to grit her teeth and swallow her pride, but in the end she couldn't take it and transferred to another law firm. Upon applying for a position at her current workplace, she had informed Kyouya of her shortcomings.

Kyouya was a bit intrigued by her personal belief but that was it. He wasn't easily impressed and gave her a lot of pro bono work for starters but when he learned that she had finished all her cases in record time, he began to take interest in her work and observe how she deals with her cases. He wasn't disappointed and here they were right now.

"Do you accept the case?" he finally asked, his face now completely serious and devoid of any emotion. They were back to business.

After gathering her thoughts, Haruhi gave him a firm nod. Her eyes had been set in fierce determination and excitement. She knew that this case was going to be another great stepping stone for her career and couldn't wait to get started.

"Great. You can meet your client after lunch. I'll have my secretary arrange a ride for you," he dismissed her quickly opting to pick up his phone and inform said secretary to secure her transportation.

Dammit. She knew her face betrayed her excitement but that did not mean she was prepared to meet her client just _three_ _hours_ after she agreed to take the case. Not really having a choice in the matter, Haruhi stood up and bowed respectfully before leaving the spacious office. The clicking of her heels could be heard outside Kyouya's door as he put down the receiver. He smirked, somewhat proud that he was able to pass off the case to one of his promising lawyers. He could've easily handled it by himself since he was not incapable of managing his cases but he realized this could be a great opportunity for the brunette to toughen up when faced with people of interesting personalities. Not that he was doubting her abilities, no. He just knew that they were two of the most and if not _the_ most stubborn people he had met in his entire life. He had a feeling that their personalities would clash and wanted to let Haruhi experience dealing with a hardheaded client who despite being labelled as arrogant and selfish was actually quite innocent. All her previous clients were victims of various abuses and it was easy for her to offer her legal advice since she was very sympathetic and had a high regard for justice.

An obnoxious tone from his phone disrupted his thoughts. He frowned at the offending sound and answered the call.

"I could sue you for invasion of privacy," Kyouya said in a clipped tone. The person on the other line merely laughed at his threat.

"Is this any way to treat your clients, Kyouya-senpai?" Hikaru Hitachiin joked, still reeling from the amusing prank he placed on his senior. His fingers continued to play with his honey blonde hair as he waited for the stop light to turn green. His gaze shifted to the right upon noticing that people on the sidewalk were gawking at his brand new light blue Koenigsegg Regera. He smirked feeling quite proud of his outlandish purchase. He bought this metal masterpiece right after seeing it at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show and had the urge to drive it around the busy streets of Tokyo. He could care less if people called him an arrogant spendthrift. It was his own money he spent and he wasn't breaking any rules anyway, maybe a few car-loving hearts but like he said before, he really doesn't give a damn.

"If that client somehow bypassed regular security and protection placed on mobile cellular devices then, yes."

"Oh please. At least I didn't spread your number to different dating sites."

"Hikaru."

The unmistakable warning in Kyouya's tone was enough to throw him into a fit of laughter but he managed to stop himself. It didn't do well for him to antagonize his longtime friend and lawyer especially if he needed his legal services at the moment.

"I'm kidding. I called to move up my schedule to meet you to discuss the case. Apparently, Kaoru will be hosting a charity dinner tonight which completely slipped my mind so I'm on my way to your office right now to settle matters earlier," he grinned enjoying the mental image of Kyouya being annoyed by his unexpected change of plans.

"Very well. You know where to find me," was his only reply before cutting off the line leaving a confused Hikaru to his thoughts.

"Whaaat... So mean," he pouted before pressing buttons on the screen of his car. Rock music blasted from the stereo enveloping the inside of the vehicle while the young billionaire merely tapped his hands on the steering wheel in time to the beat of the song. He looked at his sleek silver Cartier watch and smiled. If he hurried, he would be able to reach his destination by lunch time. He really didn't want to get stuck in Kyouya's boring office so he immediately called up one of the restaurants near the law firm to reserve them a table. It was bad enough he had to deal with this personally. He didn't need to kill himself with boredom while doing so. Feeling quite proud of his productivity, Hikaru stepped on the gas and grinned at the smooth purring of his car. So far, everything was going all according to his wishes.

Or so he thought.

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 **A/N:** Reviews are definitely welcome!

Couldn't decide which hair color of Hikaru I should follow, the anime one (the weird orange like hair) or the manga one (auburn) so I just searched for a hair color that would fit the middle ground (or so I believe).


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary:** Atty. Fujioka Haruhi has been assigned a possibly very high profile case. It wasn't easy especially if her client was the devilishly handsome and mischievous business magnate, Hikaru Hitaachin. Can she finish this case with her sanity and heart still intact or will her infuriatingly good-looking client be capable of breaking down her iron-clad self-control? AU.

 **A/N:** Apparently I'm too excited to post the next chapter. Thank you Curlyfr13s, annjudith, ClockworkMaster, Mamabug, leannakor and Dasiywhisker for the reviews, faves and alerts!

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 **Love and Legalities**

Chapter 2

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Haruhi looked at the stack of papers piled on her desk. After her meeting with Kyouya, she immediately went into workaholic mode and rushed back to her office to draft the settlement she needed to show their client, Mr. Hitachiin. She called one of the floor secretaries and asked for a spare box where she could place all the documents regarding her finished cases. She tried hard to keep her office as clean as the other offices in their firm but with the amount of work she had it was just too much for her to keep track of. She refused getting her own assistant or paralegal even when her boss offered. She preferred getting her own stuff organized. And the venomous looks she got from other senior and junior partners helped in cementing her decision.

After ten minutes of cleaning up, she finally saw the hard surface of her mahogany table. She smiled feeling accomplished and ready to begin her work. She sat down her plush gray executive chair and almost sighed in relief at the comfort said furniture offered. She opened her laptop and began typing away furiously. She already had an initial layout for the settlement in her mind but she still wanted to meet the plaintiffs to get a better view of their side in this matter. It was best to cover all possible loopholes. She always aimed to prepare settlements that were fair for both parties involve so that there was no reneging the offer at the last minute. She learned quickly that if both sides were adequately compensated then it would not pose any problem for her in the future.

Feeling satisfied with her draft, she stood up to get some coffee from the communal pantry to recharge her senses. She went home late last night after closing a successful merger between two giant software companies and had to come to work early today because of her pro bono cases. Despite being a junior partner in the firm, she still volunteered to take on at least two pro bono cases a month. She knew just how important it was for her to give back to the community and offer her help to those who badly need it.

When she reached the pantry, she saw her friend, Arai-kun, getting coffee for himself. He was someone she considered her friend in this cold, cutthroat world. They were very comfortable with each other since they had been classmates in middle school for three years and seatmates for two. He was a paralegal here at Ootori Law for two years now. It had been an unexpected but welcome surprise for her when she was informed that he was going to start working here as well.

"Fujioka," he cheerfully greeted and raised his cup in her direction.

"Morning, Arai-kun," she smiled before grabbing a clean mug from one of the drawers.

"This is the last batch of coffee though. You want mine?"

Haruhi paused her steps towards the coffee maker and shook her head. She looked at her watch and noted that she still had a lot of time to spare.

"No, it's fine. I'll just grab a fresh cup at the cafe downstairs," she returned the mug and quickly strode off towards the elevator. She knew that if she lingered any longer he would insist that she accept his offer of coffee. Her friend was selfless in that way.

She debated going back to get her phone from her office but decided against it since she was not really expecting any calls at the moment and she was only planning to get a cup of coffee. She pressed the elevator button and was glad to hear the resounding ring to announce the compartment's arrival. She entered and patiently waited for it to reach the ground floor. Her office was located at the 17th floor of the building while their name partner, Ootori Kyouya, had his office at the top 24th floor. Her eyes gazed up at the bright red numbers indicating the current floor level while her shoes shuffled to and fro the carpeted floor. The soft classical music playing in the background soothed her ears.

She finally reached the cafe and was relieved that there was no queue. She rushed to the cashier, her brisk strides caused her shoes to clip-clop at the marbled floors. Once she finished ordering a fresh cup of coffee and her daily dose of stroopwafel, she picked a spot near the glass wall facing the street where she sat down and waited for her order.

She saw an expensive looking car drive past the establishment and unceremoniously stop at the entrance of their building. She quirked a brow at the scene, slightly amused by it. Haruhi knew that there was strictly a no-parking rule being enforced around the perimeter of the building and was attentively waiting until their resident security guard and traffic patrol officer reprimand the owner of the light blue car. She frowned when instead of being told off, the guard merely gestured for the driver to park his car further into the entrance of the building.

What the hell?

Her thoughts were interrupted when the waiter appeared with her coffee in one hand and waffle packed in a paper bag on the other. She thanked him and stood up to get back to her office. She couldn't help her curiosity and looked back at the scene before her musings were cut off.

 _'Tch. Rich bastard,' s_ he internally scoff. Rules and laws were made so that society can maintain peace and order and everyone was expected to follow them. No one was above the law.

She was too busy mentally ranting about inconsiderate self-entitled people that she failed to watch her step, her foot getting caught by one of the chairs outside the cafe. She lost her balance and screamed. It was a good thing instinct allowed her to put up her hands as a means to break her nasty fall. She found herself on the floor along with her coffee which drenched her top and parts of her short hair. She felt the unmistakable sting from the hot beverage contacting her skin and quickly gathered herself with all the pride and dignity she could muster.

She looked up and saw golden almond shaped eyes staring down at her slumped figure. Standing before her was a man, about six feet tall with honey blonde hair styled in a slick and fashionable manner. His facial features screamed aristocratic with his high cheekbones, angular jawline, Nordic nose and thin pink lips. He had a statuesque body and fair complexion and it was further enhanced by his crisp white denim coat, gray undershirt and slim charcoal pants.

His sigh at her undignified stare helped gather her wits. It was then that she noticed that his shirt was also an unfortunate collateral damage in their little accident.

"I'm so-"

"I really don't have time for this," he scowled his voice tainted with unbridled irritation. He took off his coat and handed it to her. Haruhi was bewildered clearly not understanding what the hell he was doing.

When Hikaru noticed that the woman in front of him wasn't accepting his coat, he had to muster all the patience in his body to stop himself from glaring. He squatted down to her level and placed his coat over her shoulders. Haruhi slightly jumped in surprise as she felt the warmth of his hands on her shoulders.

"Sweetheart, I know you have a very nice top but I'm guessing you probably wouldn't want to show it off to everyone here at the lobby," his smooth and silvery voice floated to her ears. She looked down at her clothes and grimaced upon realizing that the front of her shirt was sticking to her skin and her now visible undergarment. She quickly clamped her hand on top of his coat and hissed when she felt the sting of the burn of coffee on her skin.

Hikaru immediately zoned in on her reaction before deciding to take matters into his own hands. Literally.

"W-What the hell are you doing?!" Haruhi shrieked when the good-looking stranger carried her without permission.

"Are you sure you want to make a scene here?" he challenged her, his face set in stubborn determination.

"You're already making a scene by carrying me!" Haruhi adamantly objected. Her pride of not wanting to be treated like some damsel in distress was already screaming in protest.

"I can walk on my own. Please put me down!" Hikaru blatantly ignored her demand and paced towards one of the guards near the entrance.

"Really? I remember a while back, instead of covering yourself with my jacket you just stared at my face without moving an inch," he scoffed earning a scowl from the brunette. When she tried to struggle out of his grip, Hikaru tightened his hold on her and glared daggers at her hardheadedness.

"I didn't notice my shirt!"

"You don't have to deny that I was too handsome and you were distracted. I can handle compliments just fine."

"Listen here you arrogant neanderthal-"

"Is there a problem, sir?" the security officer asked upon noticing they were headed to his direction.

A chorus of "yes" and "no" confused the poor chap as he continued looking at the bickering couple in front of him.

"My girlfriend got burned by her coffee-"

Haruhi looked aghast at his ability to lie straight to everyone's face and moved to vehemently deny the ridiculous claim but the obvious tightening of his hold as a silent warning managed to interrupt her action.

"-and I need to know if there is a hospital nearby or at least a convenience store."

The officer frowned debating whether to believe the good looking fellow or not.

"Sir, are you sure you two are in a relationship?"

"No-" her words cut short by the obnoxious man's own answer.

"Yes but we're having a rough patch and my darling sweetheart is refusing first aid treatment all because she's still mad at me. Be a good chap and help a lovesick fool out will you?" Hikaru used his charming voice to get the officer to trust his side of the story. After a few seconds, the older man smiled knowingly and told him that there was a nearby convenience store right around the corner of the street. He thanked the officer before hurriedly walking towards said establishment. Hikaru observed that the petite woman was now silent in his arms, her face set in hard lines.

Haruhi wanted to kick the bastard for sprouting such nonsense especially when she saw the obvious crinkle of laughter in his eyes upon noticing her discomfort at their fraudulent relationship.

"It was faster to get directions as your boyfriend than some random stranger carrying you against your will," Hikaru patiently explained not wanting her to misunderstand his intentions.

Haruhi refused to answer him not when a small part of her somehow agreed to his logic.

She yelped when he suddenly dumped her on top of one of the tables located outside the convenient store. "Stay here. Don't move," he warned before running inside the store. She gaped at him, disbelief clearly written all over her face. She clenched her hands in annoyance due to being treated like a sack of potatoes. Her mind vaguely registered that she was still carrying the paper bag from the cafe. She tried to take deep even breaths to calm her nerves. She always prided herself to be a levelheaded person. It was the first time someone was able to get on her nerves so much. Her father was the number one contender but the annoying stranger was not far behind. After a minute, she heard the glass door of the store open and saw her phony 'boyfriend' emerge carrying a small plastic bag in hand.

"Here," he placed the plastic bag beside her before slumping down on one of the chairs. His head rested on the back of the chair, face turned upwards and eyelids fluttered close. Haruhi inspected the plastic bag and saw a cooling burn relief spray, some tissue, bandages and other first aid treatment for burns, cuts and bruises. She almost wanted to laugh at the amount of unnecessary items that he bought.

"There's a bathroom inside the store. I already asked the manager to let you use it. Rinse off the coffee from your skin and use the spray. Here," his hand pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and gestured for her to take it. His eyes were still closed and upon closer inspection, Haruhi could see the beads of sweat running down the side of his face and neck.

"Thanks," she mumbled as she took the piece of cloth from his waiting hand. She felt guilty for being so difficult when he was only trying to help her in his own unconventional way.

"If you don't start moving, I'll be the one to perform first aid on you."

The warning instantly captured Haruhi's attention. She snorted regretting her earlier thoughts and hopped down the table not needing to be told twice. She refused to give him another opportunity to manhandle her like what happened before.

Thankfully, Haruhi didn't suffer any major injury. Her skin was slightly pink due to the hot beverage but the soothing effect of the spray helped relieve the stinging pain. She placed his handkerchief between her skin and her shirt not wanting to get the sticky remnants of her coffee back on her body. His coat hanged on one of her arms since she planned to return it to its owner. When she exited the store he was still in the same position before she left him.

She cleared her throat to get his attention and was rewarded with one eye opening to look at her. She stepped back when she saw him sigh in frustration. Hikaru grabbed his coat from her arm and placed it again over Haruhi's shoulder before closing the first two buttons, effectively pulling her closer to him during the process.

"There. Much better," he smirked before standing up. He stretched his arms over his head and looked at the petite brunette openly frowning at him.

"I'm not going to carry you back to the building if that's what you're thinking," he teased clearly enjoying her reactions.

"As if I'd ever let you do that," she scoffed her brows furrowing in aggravation.

Hikaru snatched the paper bag from table, took the waffle inside and inspected it in front of her. Haruhi now stared curiously at his weird action.

"Payment," Hikaru gestured to the small crisp batter cake he was holding between his fingertips. He gently pushed the pastry past Haruhi's lips before quickly taking a bite from it. He grinned mischievously as he saw the speechless look on the unsuspecting girl who had the remaining waffle stuck between her lips. Before she could gather her senses and castigate him for his actions, Hikaru winked and left her to ponder over their unusual meeting.

Haruhi viciously tore the innocent pastry from her mouth and gaped at the retreating figure of the arrogant prick who casually flirted with her like it was an everyday occurrence. Mortified was an understatement to describe her current emotion. She looked around the area and prayed that no one from her office saw his spectacular performance. They would surely have a field day if that was the case.

 _'Dear Mother in heaven, I think I just met the most infuriating man in the entire world,'_ Haruhi sighed in defeat. She had to drag her feet back to her office fervently hoping that she didn't meet the arrogant bastard again.

.

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 **A/N:** Playful, mischievous, flirty Hikaru. Love him? Hate him? Both? Review!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary:** Attorney Fujioka Haruhi has been assigned a possibly very high profile case. It wasn't easy especially if her client was the devilishly handsome and mischievous business magnate, Hikaru Hitaachin. Can she finish this case with her sanity and heart still intact or will her infuriatingly good-looking client be capable of breaking down her iron-clad self-control? AU.

 **A/N:** I'm on a roll. Thanks to all the views and reviews.

Special thanks to Setdynamics232cr (I'm glad you pointed it out^^) and of course, RoundStrange Box! I wanted to send you a PM but I couldn't so I'll just go and thank you here! :)

Also, welcome to the club Foga and alistair watson holmes!

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 **Love and Legalities**

Chapter 3

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Hikaru outright laughed when he finally boarded the elevator, dismissing the judgmental and scared looks of other passengers. He couldn't blame them though since he definitely looked a little insane with his coffee stained shirt and crazed laughter. The previous encounter kept replaying in his mind even as he reached the highest floor level. It had been ages since something or rather someone other than his friends had genuinely amused him to the point of laughter. He was still grinning from ear to ear as he stepped out of the elevator and managed to briefly nod at Kyouya's secretary who silently gestured for him to enter one of his waiting areas. He sat at one of the expensive armchairs in the room and absentmindedly tried to grab his phone but then remembered that he placed it in one of the pockets of his coat. He groaned not really wanting to go through the process of erasing his data from the lost phone. It was only a passing hobby of his to hack his friends' phones and he wasn't particularly ecstatic that he had to do the same to his own possession.

"Do I need to ask why you have coffee on your shirt? Or are you planning on dipping into performance art now?"

Hikaru scoffed at Kyouya's ridiculous questions before straightening up his posture. He might be a little immature but he knew when to stop especially during serious matters that need to be discussed. ' _Like avoiding absurd declarations and unsolicited remarks from bespectacled seniors,_ ' he contemplated thoughtfully.

"I lost my phone when I gave my coat to-" his head snapped up, an idea was slowly forming in his mind. He grinned mischievously upon realizing the possibility of meeting the object of his amusement once again. He dismissed the look his friend was currently giving him.

"You lost your phone?" Kyouya asked before sitting across from him.

"Yeah. Gave it to this girl at the ground lobby. Petite. Brunette. Short hair. Amusing personali-"

"I get it," Kyouya cut him off before making a call.

"Hello, Matsumoto-san. Is Fujioka-san there? No? Please tell her to come to my office as soon as you see her."

Hikaru raised a brow at him clearly expecting an explanation for the abrupt change of topic.

"Your lawyer will be right with us in a few moments."

"My what?"

"Your lawyer."

"I thought we were talking about my lost phone. And you said _you_ were going to represent me in this case," Hikaru frowned. He was busy trying to come up with enjoyable ways to get his phone back, not at all enthusiastic about the change of plans regarding his legal issues.

"I didn't say I was going to represent you myself. I just said my firm will take care of it," Kyouya informed him his eyes now busy scanning the documents he had with him when he entered the room.

"Tch. Damn lawyers and your loop holed vocabulary," Hikaru huffed crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.

"Ah. I almost forgot. I reserved a table at Piacere for lunch," he cited the Italian restaurant subtly hinting that he'd rather talk there than here. Instead of being offended Kyouya just said, "I know. I also booked us a table beforehand and told them to keep it private."

Hikaru just shrugged his shoulders not at all surprised by his action since Kyouya had a knack in preparing for all possible circumstances. He would probably be more surprised if he ever got the chance to offset Kyouya's plans.

"I'll just meet you at the restaurant then. I still need to change," he gestured to the brown stain and stood up. Kyouya merely waved him off still concentrating on reading whatever was inside the folder he was holding.

* * *

Haruhi quickly stepped out of the elevator, intent on getting back to her office without bumping into anyone. Her outfit was a sight to behold and she was itching to get her spare change of clothes from one of her drawers.

"Haruhi-san! What happened? Are you alright?" Matsumoto Rangiku, the floor secretary who was stationed near her office, worriedly exclaimed and quickly pulled the brunette towards her desk. She was only one of the few people in their firm who Haruhi thought was sweet, kind and friendly although a bit too loud and energetic.

"I had some trouble with coffee downstairs," Haruhi sheepishly scratched her head earning an amused chuckle from the busty strawberry blonde haired woman.

"Do you have spare clothes? I think Ranka-san dropped off something for you yesterday," the older woman remarked.

"Ah. Really?" Haruhi grimaced.

"Yeah! It almost slipped my mind because when I tried giving it to you, you clearly said to store all his gifts somewhere until you ask for them specifically," she squealed and quickly dove under her table to retrieve the package. Haruhi quietly sighed vaguely remembering the scene yesterday when she requested that favor.

It was common knowledge at the 17th floor offices that her father liked dropping off presents and packages containing clothing and accessories which she never really gave a speck of interest or curiosity. During her first year at the firm, she was at the receiving end of jokes and teasing but it eventually died down when they saw that Haruhi was not even slightly affected by the ordeal. What they didn't know was that it was already a running gag in their family wherein her dad and his friend, Misuzu-san or as he liked to be called Misuzu-chi, would make or buy clothes that they wanted Haruhi to wear. She never did and dearly hoped she didn't have to start now.

"Here!" Matsumoto placed a red paper bag on top of her desk and immediately took out its contents.

Haruhi had to restrain herself from ripping apart some of the clothes that Matsumoto was holding out for her to look at. They were mostly too frilly, too colorful and too short for her tastes. She couldn't believe her father's tenacity of providing such garments for her when she explicitly told him that she preferred simple, basic tone ensembles and that it was all just a waste of money. She was about ready to give up and march towards her office to change when something caught her eye. Her hand closed around the charcoal colored fabric and pulled out a simple A-line sleeveless dress. The length was a few inches shorter than what she usually wore and the neckline was littered with black shiny embellishments.

"That looks good!" the blonde exclaimed and held it against Haruhi's frame.

"You think so?" Haruhi inspected the dress, still slightly unsure. She was feeling a bit uncomfortable at the amount of skin that was showing

"This doesn't really stand out as something to wear at work," she gestured at the length and lack of sleeves.

"You innocent little thing! You can wear your coat over it if you're feeling uncomfortable showing off your arms," Matsumoto winked conspiratorially. She wanted to protest saying that the coat wasn't even hers but decided to shut her mouth instead. Questions about the owner of the garment would surely come up and she did not even want to think about it, let alone describe her encounter with _him._ Haruhi adored her exuberant colleague but she was still not going to risk it especially since Rangiku also had a knack in pairing people up.

"Oh! By the way Ootori-san just called and said he wanted to see you in his office as soon as possible," the older woman smiled before picking up the remaining clothes and stuffing them back inside the paper bag.

"I'll probably just stick to my spare shirt. Thanks anyway, Rangiku-san!" Haruhi smiled appreciatively and went straight to her office still holding on to the dress she found.

When she reached her office, she hurriedly locked the door and threw the dress at the back of one of the chairs in the room. She mechanically took off the coat and unbuttoned her shirt while walking towards her laptop. She shook off the sleeves of her top as she continued to look over the work she left behind. Pulling back one of her drawers, her hand grasped her spare black turtleneck shirt and quickly put it on. She looked at her table mirror to check her reflection and combed her fingers through her short brown locks. Her last minute grooming was cut off when her office phone rang effectively startling her at the same time.

"Hello, Fujioka Haruhi speaking," she answered, the phone stuck between her shoulder and chin as she neatly folded her coffee-stained top and the white denim coat.

"Fujioka-san," it was her boss, "please bring the draft settlement for the Hitachiin case to my office. The client changed the scheduled meeting to an earlier time," Kyouya's resolute tone left no room for complaints so she just agreed. It was really fortunate that she finished her work on time. Although the draft was still lacking, she knew she could focus on the minute details later on when she meets with all the parties involved. After printing a copy of the agreement, she also saved it in one of her flash drives before heading out. Another ring, this time from her mobile phone, interrupted her course. She mentally cursed at all the interruptions before looking at the screen. It was blank. The ringing continued, signifying that it wasn't her phone that was making that noise.

She spent a few seconds rummaging around her office looking for the source of the sound. Luckily she found out that it was coming from the stranger's coat. She patted the pockets and finally, pulled out the contraption. Haruhi answered it without checking to see who was calling. It wasn't like she would know who it was anyway.

"Hello," she said slowly not sure how to explain why she was the one answering the arrogant stranger's phone.

"Hi there," Haruhi immediately recognized the smooth and amused voice of the infuriating man on the other line. She rolled her eyes and briskly jogged towards the elevators.

"You still there, sweetheart?" Hikaru called using one of his spare phones, a large grin splitting his face. He was currently driving towards the restaurant where he asked Kyouya to meet with him.

"I'm not your sweetheart," she barked out hearing him laugh loudly.

"Where are you?" Haruhi asked as she pressed UP on the elevator buttons.

"Ohh.. Curious little thing, aren't ya?"

"No. I was asking because you probably want your phone back," she deadpanned trying to control herself from crumpling the papers in her left hand.

 _'Breathe, Haruhi. Breathe,'_ she chanted in her head, patting herself on the back for her self-control.

"On my way to get some lunch. Meet me at Piacere in half an hour?"

"What?"

"It's that fancy little Italian restaurant near your building-"

"That's not the point! What I meant was why should I go there? Can't you just go come back here?"

"Well, you still need to return my phone though," he explained slowly as if Haruhi conveniently forgot the topic of their whole conversation.

"I know! So why the hell do I need to have lunch with you?" Haruhi gritted in an exasperated tone.

"Hmm.. I don't remember saying we were having lunch," Hikaru couldn't help but tease her. Although he did subtly imply that he asked her out to lunch, he was direly tempted to poke fun at the woman who somehow was immune to his good looks and irresistible charms. It was the first time he met someone like that and he wasn't about to let precious entertainment go to waste. He reckoned that if she did agree to meet him, it wouldn't really last long since she was still angry at his antics. He still had plenty of time until his meeting with Kyouya.

The brunette felt her cheeks redden in embarrassment but held her tongue. She wouldn't allow him the satisfaction of knowing that he was getting under her skin.

"Fine. I'll see you there," she bit out before ending the call and finally boarding the elevator. Although she wholeheartedly wanted to decline his offer after hearing his callous words, Haruhi thought hard about her possible choices instead. She could refuse to see him and deal with his annoying presence for an extended period of time or she could return his damn phone today and never have to see his face ever again.

Her decision was definitely an easy one.

* * *

Hikaru stepped out of his car and handed his keys to the waiting valet. He threaded towards the entrance, his steps light and unhurried.

" _Benvenuto signore_! Do you have a reservation?" the pretty hostess greeted him in a delightful tone. Her eyes sparkling appreciatively upon landing her gaze on his figure. Most of the other female customers (even a few males) were also eyeing him generously. Who wouldn't? He looked absolutely dazzling with his side swept hair and fitting maroon shirt. The long sleeves were folded up clearly showing his toned arms while the first button on his shirt was open exposing his collar bone and the white expanse of creamy skin of his neck. The silver chain of his necklace lightly peeking from the shirt.

"Yes. It's under Hikaru Hitachiin," he answered the corner of his lips turned up a little earning him a blush from the infatuated hostess. She nervously fumbled as she tried to locate his name from her list. Upon finding his reservation, she quickly led him to his table and handed him a menu.

"I'm actually waiting for someone so can you serve our meal later," Hikaru remarked completely missing the disappointed look on the hostess' face.

"Of course, sir."

"Let's see. I'll have Pasta con Pomodoro El Basilico, Margheritta Pizza and Agnello alla Scottadito," Hikaru said his eyes still perusing the numerous food choices. He flipped a page and turned to the restaurant's wine list.

"And a bottle of 2006 Vigneto La Casuccia Chianti Classico," he ordered, abruptly closed the menu, and handed it to the waitress without missing a beat. He disregarded her presence completely now focused on his phone.

 _'Should I call her again?'_ he offhandedly remarked and shook his head. The last thing he wanted was to sound overeager to meet with her even though he was dying to tease her again. He put away the device and let his attention focus on the restaurant's interior design while waiting for his new object of entertainment to arrive.

* * *

"That covers it for now," Kyouya said effectively ending their discussion. He gathered all the pertinent documents from his table and placed it inside his briefcase. His gaze was inconspicuously observing his employee who looked a little bit distracted. To be honest, he was a tiny bit curious as to why Fujioka Haruhi had changed her clothes this morning. He didn't list her as someone who was too self-conscious about their look but he wasn't really inclined to ask her about it since it wasn't a pressing matter at the moment.

"By the way, do you have any plans for lunch today?" he remarked his eyes still focused on his table.

Haruhi snapped her head in attention when she heard his question. She had to shake her head to clear her thoughts when he suddenly looked up at her. She must've looked silly just gaping at him when he was expecting an answer but she did have a valid reason though. Kyouya Ootori never asked his employees out for lunch. It was unheard of.

"Why?" Haruhi's brows furrowed in confusion still not comprehending his invitation. It was then that Kyouya noticed his mistake and decided to rectify the situation before it got awkward.

"Our client, Hikaru Hitachiin, asked us to meet for lunch to discuss this," he answered while tapping his briefcase. A look of understanding and embarrassment was her response to his explanation. Kyouya had to bite the side of his cheek to stop himself from smirking at her reaction.

'Really.. Why the hell do I keep jumping to conclusions this day?' she groaned inwardly. That was a second strike for her and her overactive imagination.

"Oh. It's fine. Where are we meeting him?" she asked as soon as she gathered her wits. She stood up and tried to look as unaffected as possible.

"I hope you like Italian. We're going to _Piacere_ ," Kyouya informed her before calling his secretary to arrange their ride to the restaurant. He didn't notice the way her face paled upon hearing his statement.

' _Keep calm, Fujioka Haruhi! The restaurant's spacious enough. You won't necessarily see him right away! Right? Right!_ ' Haruhi mentally chanted trying to convince herself that the arrogant prick might be too busy eating to notice her entrance anyway.

"Let's go."

Her thoughts were interrupted when Kyouya gestured her towards the elevator. She wanted to bail and make up some excuse so she could contact the stranger first before they went to the restaurant. She could tell him to meet her another time but her boss wasn't giving her the opportunity to execute her plans judging from the impatient look he gave her when she took her time getting on the elevator. She doubted she could make her boss wait for her since he clearly expected her to ride together with him.

A sleek silver Lamborghini Sesto Elemento was parked in front of the entrance when they exited the building. Kyouya opened the door and signaled for her to go inside. Haruhi had to pinch herself silly when she realized just how weird their situation was right now. If her previous encounter with the handsome stranger this morning didn't fuel the rumor mill, then her current state will surely set it on fire. She just hoped that people would treat the scene as strictly professional but from the shocked faces on the security officers' faces she believed otherwise.

Kyouya was sorely tempted to smirk at the brunette's uncomfortable demeanor. He couldn't blame her though. He didn't let anyone get a ride with his private car but the situation currently called for it.

"Don't think too much about it. I need to go somewhere after our meeting that's why I'm using my car," he said as he started the engine. The quiet purr and acoustic instrumental music enveloped the two figures inside the vehicle.

"I'm not," Haruhi grumbled. She dearly wanted to retort and give him a piece of her mind about his definition of business engagements and appropriate business conduct but bit her tongue instead. It wasn't her place to scold him if he decided to drive his car with her sitting at the passenger seat not caring whether their situation looked scandalous to gossip-mongers. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes and sighed in frustration upon seeing the amusement and mirth swimming in his eyes.

She felt uncomfortable throughout the entire silent ride. Her hands were absentmindedly fiddling with the unfamiliar phone inside the front pocket of her pants while his were busy steering the wheel or pushing buttons to adjust the music.

When they reached the restaurant, Haruhi immediately got out of the car. She'd rather eat her foot than let her boss open the door for her. She wasn't going to let their situation get more awkward than it already was. Kyouya merely chuckled at her antics, still amused at her behavior.

Upon reaching the entrance doors, Kyouya was the one to talk to the hostess while Haruhi was now trying to open the lock screen of the phone in her hands. She was growing frustrated. The damn phone didn't have a lock screen when she answered his call before. Haruhi mentally cursed the honey blonde haired idiot as she followed Kyouya inside the establishment. Her eyes were now as wide as saucers when she noticed an unwelcome yet familiar figure heading towards their direction. She quickly turned right and hid behind one of the marble columns inside the restaurant.

"Kyouya-senpai! Well aren't you the early worm?" Hikaru grinned once he was in front of the raven haired lawyer.

"Don't you mean the early bird?" Kyouya raised his brow.

"I stand by my statement," Hikaru smirked ignoring the annoyed look the bespectacled man gave him.

"I'd like you to meet-" Kyouya frowned belatedly noticing that Haruhi was gone.

"Meet who?" Hikaru asked now looking at the vacant space behind his upperclassman.

"She was here a minute ago."

"You really should take better care of your employees, senpai," Hikaru joked before pulling out his phone while Kyouya continued looking around trying to find his missing subordinate.

Although Hikaru really wanted to eat lunch with the girl he met this morning, he had other important matters at hand and will now have to cancel their impromptu date. He decided he could still call her anytime since his phone was sill with her.

Both men were unaware that the person they were looking for was crouching behind one of the pillars a few feet away from them.

Haruhi prayed to all the gods and saints she knew that the arrogant man would just pass by her hiding place so she could quickly catch up to her boss. However, luck wasn't on her side today when the phone inside her pocket started ringing loudly. She cursed and quickly tried to retrieve the offending device, not noticing the footsteps heading to her direction.

Hikaru frowned when he heard the coincidental ring of a phone not far from where he was. He took a few steps forward trying to find out where the sound was coming from. He already deduced that the brunette was somehow inside the establishment as well.

Kyouya, who was now curious at Hikaru's actions, merely followed him and was bewildered to find his employee crouching between a pillar and a table.

"Fujioka-san, what are you doing?" he uttered in surprise.

Haruhi accidentally pressed the end call button in her haste to stand up and gather all of her dignity that wasn't torn into little pieces from being found in such an embarrassing position.

"I-I dropped something," she said. Her lame excuse, of course, did not pass the inquisitive gaze her employer had on his face. She felt her cheeks burn in chagrin and again, mentally cursed the owner of the phone in her hands.

In all the years she spent in this world, today was the first time she had so much trouble with men aside from her father. Surely her predicament couldn't get any worse than this, right?

"Oh? What do we have here?"

Haruhi gasped when her eyes landed on the familiar pair of golden eyes, honey blonde hair and infuriating grin of the arrogant man she met who was currently standing just a few feet away from her.

Damn it. She _really_ needed to learn not to jump to conclusions.

* * *

 **A/N:** Basically, Hikaru just ordered some pasta, pizza and lamb which go quite well with Chianti Classico red wine according to my (somewhat) reliable resource person.

Next chapter: Lunch with Rich Bastards ;)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary:** Attorney Haruhi Fujioka has been assigned a possibly very high profile case. It wasn't easy especially if her client was the devilishly handsome and mischievous business magnate, Hikaru Hitaachin. Can she finish this case with her sanity and heart still intact or will her infuriatingly good-looking client be capable of breaking down her iron-clad self-control? AU.

* * *

 **Love and Legalities**

Chapter 4

* * *

"Hello, sweetheart. I wasn't aware you already arrived," Hikaru smoothly walked over to Haruhi who sputtered incoherently upon hearing the unwanted endearment.

Kyouya merely raised his brow over the exchange happening in front of him. _Sweetheart?_ He looked at them and wondered how the hell that relationship came about. This kind of development was impossible to miss through his network of information.

"Well… It seems that I don't have to introduce you both since you apparently know each other very well," the bespectacled man remarked. A subtle dig aimed at Haruhi who was beyond frustrated over the scene unfolding before her.

"I don't know this person!" she screeched earning her a few curious stares from the customers enjoying their meal. She cleared her throat as a way to distract her homicidal thoughts about a certain annoying pest.

Hikaru laughed from her outburst. He was right about the petite brunette. Teasing her was absolutely entertaining for him. _"So she was Kyouya's employee?_ " he then thought. Things were getting more interesting while he was in her presence.

"She's being difficult right now, senpai. Keeping up appearances, and separating her personal matters from work. You can go ahead to our table while I talk some sense into her," Hikaru grinned, prompting Kyouya to shrug and leave the two of them to settle their differences. The latter wasn't one to meddle with his workers' personal matters as long as it will not affect the firm.

"Ootori-san! Wa—" Haruhi wasn't able to finish her sentence as Hikaru quickly stepped in front of her, effectively blocking her way. If looks could kill, Hikaru would've already dropped dead from the daggers Haruhi was shooting from her eyes.

"Easy now, darling. There's no need to rush," he chuckled while raising both hands in mock surrender.

Haruhi wasn't a violent person but right now she really wanted to wipe off the amused smirk from the bastard's face using her fist. Speaking of her fist, she remembered that she was still holding on to his phone. She angrily pushed the offending gadget towards his chest earning her a surprised _'Oof!'_ from Hikaru who wasn't prepared for the action.

"I have a name and it's not sweetheart or darling," she grounded out before sidestepping him and following her boss' footsteps. She didn't look back as she heard him chuckle behind.

"Would you prefer to be called 'love' then?" he asked upon reaching Haruhi. A derisive snort was her answer.

"What about –-"

"Do you wanna die?" she cut him off before hurrying her steps.

"Wait for me, baby!"

"Shut up!" she spun around, hit his arm then continued walking.

"Ouch. Don't be so violent, doll-face," Hikaru smirked while nursing his lightly injured arm.

"Bastard".

"I love it when you talk dirty to me."

Haruhi groaned before turning back and quickly slapping her palm against his lips to stop him from sprouting anymore nonsense.

"I don't know what your problem is, Mister. But can you just please cooperate and get this lunch over quickly?" she pleaded in a strained voice while Hikaru raised his brow. A few seconds ticked with neither of them moving from their current position until—

"DID YOU JUST LICK MY HAND?!" Haruhi all but screamed while pulling her hand away like she was burned.

"It's Hikaru."

"What?" She stared at him incredulously.

"Call me Hikaru," he gave her one of his dazzling smiles.

"I don't care! Why the hell did you lick my hand?"

"How else was I supposed to answer if your hand was in the way?"

"You could've nodded like a normal human being!"

Hikaru rolled his eyes and scoffed, "being normal is overrated". Before Haruhi could retort, the bastard took her defiled hand and pulled her along. She tried to struggle but his grip was firm.

"Wha-"

"As much as I enjoy our sweet verbal teasing, I doubt you'd love to continue it in front of an audience," he gestured with his other free hand and Haruhi saw that almost everyone inside the restaurant was watching them in amusement. "And besides, we can't make Kyouya-senpai wait much longer. You might get in trouble," he winked.

The reminder made Haruhi come to her senses. She continued to grumble until they reached their table which was thankfully situated at a more secluded part of the establishment.

She saw Kyouya who was quietly sipping a glass of wine while waiting for their arrival. She sighed in relief when Hikaru let go of her hand only to grimace upon realizing that he pulled a chair out for her. She wanted to scoff at the uncharacteristic display and was contemplating to leave him hanging while she sat in another chair. However, the rational part of her mind reasoned out that it would be quite rude and being rude wasn't in her vocabulary even if the other party deserved it. Also, he was a valuable client. Her client. Her boss' _friend_. The brunette silently ground her teeth and tried to calm her nerves after taking the seat. The jerk even had the guts to wink at her.

"I don't want to ask how you two know each other but for formalities' sake, Hikaru, let me introduce one of my best lawyers in the firm, Haruhi Fujioka," Kyouya gestured, "Fujioka-san, this is your new client, Hikaru Hitachiin."

Haruhi nodded once while Hikaru merely grinned back.

Lunch was an absolute horror for the brunette after Hikaru's several attempts to spoon feed her. She glared and wanted to slap his hand away but the latter managed to pull away before she could do so. She was grateful for her boss who had resolutely decided to ignore them in favor of eating his food quickly. After finishing their lunch, Kyouya asked the waitress to clear their table.

"Based on the evidence the police gathered so far, I think it's safe to say that all safety protocols were followed by your company during the time of the incident," Kyouya stated while bringing out his briefcase containing pertinent documents regarding the case. He gave Hikaru and Haruhi a copy of the police report.

"Yes. I also had one of my assistants procure a copy of the monthly inspection reports. It was only three days before the accident that the factory received an excellent rating for safety measures," Hikaru remarked while rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

Haruhi read the paper in her hands, quickly scanning through it in case she missed something this morning. She was relieved that her new client had the decency to leave behind his annoying personality when they began talking about work.

"Mr. Hitachiin, have the victims been given due compensation after what happened?" she asked.

"Our company provides workplace accident insurance for our employees. We already did everything in our part," Hikaru nodded solemnly.

"I still need to talk to the victims though. There is still something missing from all of this," Haruhi informed him.

"Fujioka-san has already prepared a draft settlement agreement for both parties," Kyouya said before handing Hikaru the document. The latter, however, pushed the paper away.

"Look. I don't really care for the details of the agreement. I trust your judgment, senpai. I just want this matter to be resolved fast. If word goes out to public, even if untrue, it will undoubtedly have an impact on my company."

The remark made Haruhi frown.

"We'll do our best, Mr. Hitachiin. But the victims feel wronged and we can't just shove money on them to make them agree. We need to find a common ground for both parties," she said in a high tone.

"I never said I was shoving my money in their faces. I didn't want to prolong this mess because they'll be the ones affected the most. Instead of recuperating they would have to attend trials, meetings with lawyers, police, and not to mention the resources they would spend for this. Their money, time, and energy would be wasted," Hikaru calmly replied. This made Haruhi bite her lip in embarrassment. That was so unprofessional of her! It was the first time in her career that she showed such disrespect to her client. She was never one to jump to conclusions but he just somehow managed to push all her buttons to make her angry and forget herself at times.

Before she could apologize, Kyouya cleared his throat and caught their attention.

"I'll have Fujioka-san schedule a meeting with the plaintiffs and then we'll give you a call," the bespectacled man stated before standing up and offering a handshake to Hikaru.

Haruhi followed her boss and stood up as well, still not looking at their client.

"That's fine," Hikaru said and shook Kyouya's hand. He turned his gaze to the brunette to his right and saw that she was avoiding his gaze.

"I'll leave first. I have another meeting to attend. Fujioka-san, call Matsumoto-san to have one of our drivers pick you up," Kyouya instructed.

"I'll take her back. I'll pass by your office anyway," Hikaru volunteered.

"That's-" Haruhi wanted to protest and explain that she can easily take the bus back to work but Kyouya was already walking away leaving the two of them behind.

"Let's go," Hikaru said prompting Haruhi to grudgingly follow after him.

She quietly observed the man in front of her. He wasn't teasing her right now and that made her feel guilty for her earlier remark. She wanted to apologize but the air around them was a bit tense.

Upon reaching the entrance of the restaurant, they waited for the valet to retrieve the car. Haruhi was surprised when Hikaru opened the door of the passenger's side for her.

"I'm still a gentleman even if I am a bit irritated right now," he smirked and gestured to the empty seat.

Again, Haruhi had the inkling to reject his offer and go on her own way but the guilt was still prickling at the back of her mind. She clenched her fists and went inside the car, keeping her gaze to the front. She heard him chuckle softly before gently closing the door.

"About what I said-" Haruhi started to apologize but was stopped when Hikaru suddenly came close to her.

"W-what the hell are you doing?!" she squeaked out as his face was merely inches from hers.

"Your seatbelt."

"My what?"

The sound of the seatbelt clipping in place made Haruhi come back to her senses. She was gaping like a fish while he grinned at her reaction and put on a pair of sunglasses. She shook her head to clear her absurd thoughts and resolutely looked away praying to all the gods that this day would be over.

The car ride went by smoothly with the only sound between them was the acoustic music playing on the stereo. After deep calming breaths, Haruhi finally mustered up her courage to look at Hikaru and continue her apology but he spoke before she could utter a single word.

"I'm driving," he said.

"What?" she gaped.

"I said I'm driving. Don't distract me," he repeated, still focusing on the road ahead but his lips now forming an amused smile.

"How am I distracting you? I haven't even said a word!" she exclaimed while he kept throwing her side glances.

"You're staring at me. Again. Can't help but be infatuated?" he teased.

Haruhi audibly sighed before turning her head to the window. She realized that talking to him right now would be useless when he was stubbornly ignoring her attempts of apologizing. Upon reaching their destination, she didn't wait for him to open her door and quickly got out of the car. She looked back and was about to thank him for the ride but he was also getting off.

"Thank you for the ride, Mr. Hitachiin," she still bowed and was confused when he started walking towards her.

"Call me Hikaru," he said.

"What?"

"My name. Don't call me Mr. Hitachiin, that's what other people call my father," he explained as if that would make her agree with his request.

"I'm sorry but that would be unprofessional for me to do so," Haruhi replied, crossing her arms in front of her.

"Like what you did back at the restaurant?" he remarked, raising a brow at her.

Haruhi sputtered out an apology and wanted to explain her actions but was interrupted again.

"So which floor is your office?" he asked, his face gazing up at her office building.

"I beg your pardon?" she frowned, not understanding the reason behind the change of topic.

"I still need to talk to you about something. Like our relationship-"

"We don't have one!" she vehemently retorted.

"I meant our lawyer-client relationship, dear," he pulled off his glasses and winked at her.

Haruhi wanted to pull her hair out of frustration but refrained at the last minute. She mentally gathered her wits before stomping her way towards the entrance of the building with Hikaru following close behind.

When they entered the elevator, Haruhi quickly pressed the button for the 17th floor and stepped towards one corner away from Hikaru who was smiling at her.

The blonde, however, saw her attempt at placing some distance between and decided to stand a foot away from her. He placed his hands inside his pocket while his back rested against the wall of the elevator. People started boarding the elevator as well and couldn't help but stare at him.

Who could blame them? The scene looked straight out of a magazine. He was ridiculously attractive in his calm and easy-going demeanor. Others were whispering about the good-looking stranger and stealing glances at him hoping to catch his attention. Haruhi wanted to smack their heads to clear their lovesick gazes and see the horror behind the guy's handsome façade.

Her musings were cut short when the elevator finally arrived at the 17th floor.

"Let's go, sweetheart. This is our floor," Hikaru remarked loudly before placing a hand on Haruhi's back and guiding her outside the elevator. Haruhi and the other people inside were too shell-shocked to form a response. The sound of the closing doors made Haruhi turn her head back to the elevator and shout out her explanation but was too late. She only heard her name being uttered by the people inside before the doors fully closed. There was no doubt about it. Today's rumor mill was going to be blown away by one of the wildest topics to grace the floors of Ootori Law Firm. And to think that the scene of her and her boss going out to lunch was enough for today.

 _'Dear Mother in heaven, help me gain patience to deal with this infuriating man. I don't want to leave Dad alone when the police arrive to arrest me for murder,'_ Haruhi thought her fists itching to punch Hikaru who was now outright laughing while they made their way towards her office.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you to all my beloved readers and those who are following this story! I gain my confidence to post chapters from all your lovely reviews.

Next chapter: The Bastard's Request


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